In the world of Lego® investments, the question always arises as to whether a GWP (Gift with Purchase) is a worthwhile investment. GWPs are small Lego sets that are added to purchases as part of regular Lego sales promotions.
The period in which the GWPs are available is usually limited to around 1-3 weeks, which makes them an interesting investment. They are also tied to a certain minimum order value.
In this article, we look at the performance of different GWPs in detail and answer the question of whether GWPs are a good Lego investment.
What are GWPs?
As already mentioned, GWPs are small Lego® sets that are added to purchases as part of sales promotions in the Lego online store or in Lego offline stores. The order value from which the GWP is added to the purchase always varies.
GWPs without theme world reference
GWPs do not necessarily come from a specific theme, so there are GWPs that cannot be assigned to any one and are listed in the Promotional category at Lego®. These include, for example, the Lego 40370 train set for the 40th anniversary of Lego trains.
Themes GWPs
There are also a large number of GWPs that belong to a specific theme. GWPs appear, for example, in the following Lego® themes:
- Disney
- Harry Potter
- Star Wars
- IDEAS
Should I keep GWPs after purchase?
Many Lego® investors are certainly wondering whether it is worth investing in GWPs and when the best time to sell them is. For regular Lego sets, this is usually 2-3 years after the EOL (End of Life) of a Lego set. However, this is different for GWPs, as we illustrate in the following three examples.
Typical performance of GWPs
The first example is the already mentioned Lego® 40370 railroad for the 40th anniversary of Lego railroads, which was available from 01.03.2020 to 15.03.2020 from an order value of $99 to purchase. As a special feature, the set has a 40th anniversary imprint, which makes it interesting for collectors.
The railroad currently has a market value of around $35, with a low of around $28 over the entire period. Accordingly, it has only risen minimally over the three years.
An even older example is the Lego DC Comics Super Heroes 40433 1989 Batmobile, which was included with the launch of the large 76139 Batmobile in November 2019, which is one of the best Lego sets of all time.
The market value of the GWP initially amounted to around $118. At the current time, this is around $147. In this example, too, the return is not particularly high at around 5.8% p.a.
Want to track the performance of Lego sets? You can use the Brickfact app to view the performance of thousands of Lego sets.
As a more recent example, let's look at the 40583 Houses of the World 1 GWP, which was released in January 2023 and came with a purchase value of $250 or more. The GWP currently has a market value of $29.70. The lowest value was around $24.60, so the previous performance of this set was also minimal.
Should I keep GWPs after purchase?
The three examples given illustrate that it is not particularly worthwhile to hold GWPs for a longer period of time. It is advisable to sell them as soon as possible after receiving them. The value of the GWPs in our examples has only risen minimally and the performance has been almost sideways. This can be seen very clearly in the example of the Lego® 40370 railroad.
When are GWPs worthwhile?
In general, it can be said that GWP should only be purchased with exclusive Lego® sets. Exclusive Lego sets are only sold by Lego itself and cannot be purchased elsewhere at a discount, as is the case with non-exclusive Lego sets.
This is due to the fact that the average value of a GWP corresponds to a discount of 15-35%. Non-exclusive Lego sets can easily be purchased at such a discount in stores without the additional expense of selling the GWPs.
Accordingly, in our opinion, GWPs should be seen as an indirect discount rather than an investment.
Which GWPs are worthwhile?
Last but not least, the question arises as to which GWPs are best suited for an investment or have the highest possible value when buying exclusive Lego® sets. Basically, there are three factors that are relevant to the potential value of a GWP.
Collection potential
The potential collection potential can be an important factor for the value of the GWP. A well-known example is the "Houses of the World" series, in which a total of four GWPs were released. Lego® fans who may have missed out on a GWP will buy it on the secondary market to complete their collection.
Exclusive minifigures
Another factor is exclusive minifigures, which can occasionally be included in GWPs. Exclusive minifigures are minifigures that are unique and are only included once in a Lego® set. GWPs with many minifigures are also interesting, so even conventional Lego sets with many minifigures have a high value. This is particularly the case with Star Wars GWPs, which contain expensive Star Wars Clone Troopers.
Uniqueness
Finally, the uniqueness of the GWP is also important. This also includes GWPs that represent the miniature of a larger set, as is the case with the aforementioned 40433 1989 Batmobile.
Another example is the Lego® Harry Potter 40577 Hogwarts: Grand Staircase GWP released in July 2022, which was included in the Harry Potter theme world for purchases over $130. This currently has a market value of almost $60, which corresponds to a theoretical discount of 45% on exclusive Harry Potter sets.
The staircase included in the GWP is unique in its form and is needed to complete the Hogwarts Castle theme world.
How to get as many GWPs as possible
Would you like to buy exclusive Lego® sets in combination with GWPs and receive several GWPs? In this case, it is possible to split the order into several small orders in order to receive several GWPs. This is particularly interesting if, for example, the Lego set has an RRP (recommended retail price) of $100 and the GWP is also added to the purchase for orders over $100.
If you want to buy several sets, it is advisable to buy the sets individually in order to receive several GWPs.
In individual cases, however, it can happen that Lego only delivers the GWP once. This can be avoided by ordering with different accounts.
Are GWPs a good investment? Our conclusion
Our analysis shows that GWPs generally have no significant added value and are therefore more of an indirect discount than a worthwhile investment. Their value often corresponds to a discount of 15-35% on the purchase price. It is therefore advisable to sell GWPs as soon as possible after receiving them, rather than holding them, as the increase in value is minimal.
However, exclusive GWPs, especially those with collector potential, exclusive minifigures or unique features, can be an exception. Examples such as the Batmobile or Harry Potter 40577 Hogwarts: Grand Staircase show that GWPs with special features can certainly achieve a higher value. These GWPs are particularly interesting for collectors who want to complete their collections.
To maximize the number of GWPs, it is advisable to split purchases into smaller orders in order to obtain multiple GWPs. This is particularly advantageous when GWPs are offered for orders over a certain value. However, Lego may limit the number of GWPs per customer, which can be circumvented by using different accounts.
GWPs as an investment: FAQ
In the world of Lego® investments, numerous questions arise around the topic of GWPs. In the following FAQ, we address the most important questions on the subject and provide helpful tips that can help when investing in GWPs.
Are GWPs a good investment?
Yes, GWPs can be a good investment, especially if they have exclusive features such as collector potential or unique minifigures. However, examples such as the Lego® 40370 Railway or the 40583 Houses of the World 1 show that the increase in value is often minimal. Therefore, GWPs should rather be seen as an indirect discount.
How do I get as many GWPs as possible?
To get as many GWPs as possible, you should split your purchases into smaller orders, especially if GWPs are offered above a certain order value. Note, however, that Lego may limit the number of GWPs per customer, which can be circumvented by using different accounts.
What are good GWPs?
Good GWPs are characterized by collection potential, exclusive minifigures or uniqueness.
Should I sell GWPs as quickly as possible?
Yes, it is advisable to sell GWPs as soon as possible after receiving them. The performance of GWPs such as the Lego® 40370 train shows that the increase in value over time is minimal. Selling quickly maximizes the achievable profit.
